Rising Act of the Phoenix
by Kagesu
Summary: 2nd fan fic, related to 1st, part 2... no naruto, just diablo 2... plz review thanks
1. Stakeout

Frigid cold winds swept the grounds, creating frost and slick grounds wherever it moved. The creature was however, unaffected. Four legs and a tuff of hair as a tail crept out of the foliage. 

_Fitting_

Unfazed by the low temperatures, its fur coat the perfect insulator against the chilling winds, the cute creation of mother nature cautiously crept forward. Fitting for reasons only one would know.

_Hope thats a good sign_

The rodent crept by, oblivious to the figure hiding in the bushes next to it. Then as if noticing the presence of an intruder, the snow hare bounded away into the night, tail seeming to wave goodbye to the camoflauged.


	2. Bow

A bow raised out of the foliage, its original golden sheen held back by majicks of combat. The hand holding it neither trembled nor faltered. A ring, glowing blue, sat perfectly on the middle finger. As she stretched the fine string of her weapon, the blue orb flushed white, then settled back to a fierce pulsating blue as the glow flowed over the arc of wood.

* * *

_It is a good day to die. All the moreI must not stumble so late in this stage. The ambasadors of the Matriach will be arriving today, everything must be perfect! The clan's plans have been laid out, defenses are strong. evrything_ looks _perfect. But somehow..._ "Ah! Sir Colenzo and Dac Farren!"exclaimed the fallen shaman as a red portal manifested itself from nothingness. "Just in time _(damnit they're early!)_, we were just about to start the clan council the review the plans of the invasion." 

"And you must be Bishibosh" replied the warped shaman known as Colenzo the Annihilator. "Eager to please, quick to lie and fool born of tainted blood."

"heE heE! Tainted blood tainted blood!" squealed Dac Farren, the demon gremlin, as it flickered in and out of existence, its teleport spell now used as an irritant.

Stammering and stuttering in shock, Bishibosh stepped aside as the visitors from hell pushed pass his to step into the crop of rocks just behind him.

"Council of the Plains" enunciated the demon, his voice oddly articulate and unsettling in the company of gibberish speaking Fallen. "i **have** arrived! i **have RETURNED**!I have learnt much during my stay in hell,

_(heE heE! hell heLL!)_

but now is not the time to teach. My dear friends (a word he slobbered with sarcasm), now is the time to move, now is the time to **STRIKE**!

_(ssstrike ssstrikE! hAAA hahaha!)_

Fear not the rogues of the sightless eye, nor the blades of the mercenaries and babarians.I tell you now, not even the spells of the ironwolves will hurt you with the protection of the Matriach around us! Ready yourselves to move! Worry not about weapons for Hephasto

_(the hephasssssto!)_

the armourer himself will be arriving soon and with his forge our weapons will pierce even the Spirit Ward enchanted by Holy Shield!"

With that the annihilator spun on his heel and quick marched out of the council circle. He paused next to the still shocked Bishibosh

"Ensure that allI have said will be done. Hephasto arrives in an hour. We will move once he has inspected the troops. We do not want to anger the armourer now do we..."

_

* * *

Hephasto? Patience is a virtue_

* * *

"Of course not my liege!" exclaimed the fallen shaman in fear, snapping him back into his senses. "Everything will be ready within the hour your unholiness!"

* * *

The bow descended back into the bushes, its blue glow flowing back into the now dimly lit carrion wind. Delaine settled down for the hour long wait. 


	3. Fall of Command

"I will not tolerate insolence in my council! And neither will I allow your insubordination any longer! You **will** leave for the plains this instant before I banish you to the very hell Baal suffered for centuries!"

"But my coldness! I was borne to the fiery depths of hell, how will I survive the frigid cold plains?"

"Fool! Did you not think that i would bestow a cold immunity on your weak body? **GO**!"

A hand flicked out of the darkness shrouding the throne, its pale complexion contrasting against the black of the throne room. A deep blue ring hanging off the joint of a finger flared red, summoning a portal behind the large ogerish fallen angel. With another flick of the hand a ripple shot through the air, shoving Hephasto into the portal...

* * *

...smack straight into Dac Farren. Unable to dodge in time, the demon gremlin teleported a few feet away, leaving Hephasto to crash into a wagon of worn out weapons.

"To work already Hephasto?" grinned Colenzo.

"Nassssty armourer! Triesss to squashes Dac dac! Nasssty armourer will be **burned** by Dac Dac'ses fires!"

"Shut up you lil imp" growled the armourer, flinging a broken shard from the pile of now thoroughly broken weapons towards the demon. Dac Farren merely flickered out, allowing the blade to pass through the air where it had been an instant earlier. It shimmered back to the material plane to land gently on Colenzo's shoulder

"He's late!"

"And indeed you are Hephasto,I do not think there is time to inspect the troops. We'd best leave soon or we'll miss the window the Mother has set for us."

_

* * *

Now!_

* * *

"Agreed. After all, I'm an armourer, not a general. Inspecting troops is..." Hephasto broke off as a bush in the camp outskirts burst in a bright blue flare.

* * *

The arrow sped from Delaine's fingertips, pulsating fiercely white in the darkened plains. With a pulse, it split into 3 separate arrows angled off in different directions. The first 2 hit simultaneously, a burst of flame and the immolation arrow disintegrated Bishibosh, the other arrow seeming to hit the demon gremlin. With a flicker of mana, the gremlin teleported before the glowing white arrow could pierce more than its skin. The third arrow, a freezing one, struck Colenzo, freezing him. In an explosion of ice and mist the warped shaman was annihilated as a guided arrow swung in an arc to shatter the hell spawn. This arrow, the same one that failed to kill Dac Farren, continued in its arc before suddenly angling off to strike a surprised gremlin in the forehead just as it shimmered into existance. The air around the bodies of the 3, now tainted with green fumes, swirled gently then with a sudden force that quickly changed into 3 twisters adding confusion in the ranks of the demons

Roaring in shock and fury, Hephasto summoned his hammer. It shimmered with a flicker of mana into his hand. With another roar, the fallen angel charged towards the dead bush, its leaves still falling to the ground. His roar invigorating the shocked fallen hordes as they picked up their notched arms to charge alongside the armourer. As the ran abreast him their strength seemed to build up, their feet a blur.

_

* * *

The famed hammer Call to Arms_

Sweeping up the rack of glaives next to her, the Delaine leaped out of the dark woods, launching two while still in the air. Hitting the ground her hands were still pumping in a blur, flinging javelin after javelin green poison here, a white lightning there. Every 4th projectile that hit exploded in a white-blue ring, freezing everything in its radius. Those fallen lucky enough to dodge the javelins, shun the jumping lighting bolts and smart enough to hold their breath fell before the holy freeze aura as they leapt towards the still running amazon. Any not shattered enemy corpse then came to life with a flicker of golden light from the bow strapped to her back. With 5 specially chosen warped ones also surrounded with the fierce blue aura fighting alongside her, the warrior quickly closed the gap between her and Hephasto.

* * *

His charge slowed by shock and a misplaced awe, the armourer was thinking through his chances of living after an encounter with the force of nature whirling in death and destruction before him. Coming to a decision, Hephasto spun around.

"Attack her! **Now**! Pick up your damned weapons and fight to the death!" he shouted, raising his hammer to ensure the obedience of the hordes. The magicks of the hammer working in overtime engulfed the fallen camp, bringing all demons towards the amazon and her troop of revived demons in a charge of wraith.

With the command seared into the minds of the mob, Hephasto left the hammer. He strode away from the battle, lips reading off a scroll, its blue ribbon floating away behind him.

* * *

Her own charge now slowed by the massive quantity of demon bodies throwing themselves against her, Delaine cursed under her breath. With inner sight, she saw through the hell formed bodies before her to focus on the armourer.

_Coward_

Her red hair tumbled forward to cover her face as she crouched to touch the ground. Instantly the 5 revived surrounded her, forming a protective body barrier against the oncoming tide of reeking flesh.

Incantations complete, a cloud of crows burst out of the mound of flesh that now surrounds the warrior. Vines and roots broke the ground as they wrapped themselves around the hordes, flashing lights of spirits flitted through the air. Wolves then appeared, shimmering into the material plane in the gaps of the battle, their grey and silver bodies now joined the fray biting and clawing their way towards the fleeing armourer. A hulk of brown then exploded out of the thick of it all, throwing demon bodies around the camp, but also gently flinging the amazon in the direction of the pursuing wolves. The grizzly then turned its attention to its enemies before it, a smile seemed to form on its maw before it turned into an unstoppable force of nature.

Landing gently on the balls of her feet, Delaine twisted slightly to dodge the club of a nearby dark one. Avoiding a tossed axe, she spun on her heels. Flinching in anticipation of a blow, the dark one shrieked out, covering its face with its arms. Ignoring the small fry around her the raw leather clad warrior sprinted off and quickly caught up with her wolves. Her canine minions slid to a stop one by one to pick off any demons wanting to hinder the progress of the chase.

Dodging and evading the projectiles in the air, incantations once again flowed from her full lips. Within moments, a glowing figure ripped the fabric of space beside her and jumped through before the rip in space closed.

"It's about time you summoned me mortal. I've longed for battle"

"Didn't want to waste time earlier on. Hephasto."

"Very well blessed of Athulua."

* * *

The last word read off the scroll, a red portal appeared before Hephasto. Positively trembling with relief, the armourer from hell started to stride towards it when the earth started to tremble, then buck and shake beneath his feet. Losing his balance, the fallen angel fell. Picking himself up, he stumbled towards the rip in space, now desperate as he sensed the warrior quickly catching up to him.

Giving up all dignity, the panicked demon started crawling towards the portal when the ground between him and his salvation slipt in two. Magma spurted out of the fissure, barely scorching his fire-seasoned face. Surrendering to his fate, Hephasto turned to face his aggressor, a new hammer appearing in his hand.

* * *

With a final stride, Delaine came within striking distance of her foe. Each swinging their weapons, the 2 warriors screamed at each other. Delaine's ghost glaive, Ice, clashed directly on Hephasto's ogre maul, Phoenix with an unearthly clang.

"Very fitting, that you would use a weapon that bears my name!" snarled the amazon. Hephsato's eyes widened in shock.

"Y-you're phoenix? Delaine Phoenix?" stammered the shell-shocked armourer. Her name was the last coherent thing he spoke as a massive frost nova engulfed him, completely countering the firestorm from his hammer.

* * *

Thrown back by the blast with icicles and frost coating his body, Hephasto tumbled away only to find himself facing the golden feet of a valkyrie. Agonisingly slowly, Hephasto swung at the valkyrie with the now cracked maul. Sweeping her ghost spear across the face of the maul, the valkyrie flicked the runes out of their sockets. With a flash of light the Phoenix hammer was no longer. But paying the price of the explosive flash, the valkyrie was banished back to the halls of Athulua, a half uttered curse hung in the air where the valkyrie last stood.

Clawing his way back on his feet, Hephasto stumbled towards the still glowing red portal where the earth had stilled and sealed. He caught a flash of movement from the corner of his eye and he spun around, summoning his strongest shield and armour.

* * *

Ignoring the searing heat as she leapt towards hephasto, Delaine raised her last glaive. She had been saving her critical strike till now. The amazon drove her weapon through the fallen angel beneath her; the Dragon Ward and Fortitude Sacred Armour were no match for her finely honed tip of the ghost glaive and her immense strength. Upon piercing the heart of the beast, the glaive shattered. 


	4. Purge

Spent, Delaine lay on the scorched ground where the vanquished armourer once laid, her brown wire fleece torn in many places exposing pale flesh, but unhurt in any way. Sounds of battle were still ongoing, but exhausted from delivering the killing blow, Delaine was unable to bring herself to continue the fight.

_Have to... keep going... minions cannot hold out for long..._

Then it happened.

* * *

"RAKANISHU!"

_hA! With all the shamans dead, I alone will lead these fallen to bring favor to me! These hordes will be the elite army of the Matriarch!_

Lighting bolts racing from his body, Rakanishu lead the remainder of the fallen against the dwindling numbers of wolves. They trampled over the fallen figure of the bear, crushing dead vines in their path.

Then everything stopped. A frigid blast of air engulfed the army, freezing all but the warped and dark ones in their steps. Even the carvers' movements were slowed.

* * *

A scream ripped from her mouth, the agonising pain rippling through her body. Tossing her head back in pure hurt, Delaine shrieked into the night sky. A cloud of gold shimmered into existence, shrouding her in a brilliant aura of power. With a final shriek the gold mist shot up to the clouds.

_I can't die here! I'm used to the cold! It's too cold! Can't... Take it... Anymo..._

* * *

She awoke. Sitting up she glanced around with her inner sight. Brows furrowed as her line of sight swept the barren frozen land. Then a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Just beyond a snow bank, silver and grey wolves were romping around in the snow, occasionally dodging snow tossed by a grizzly nearby.

_Timing was perfect, but by Athulua it hurt. One horde down, millions of minions to go_

End

took me ages to actually get around to doing it, but thats my 2nd battle scene... its purely d2 this time though, i want this char to be pure d2... alot of references to elite class items, runewords unique items and unique monsters... read on if u wanna know the items...

just for info, the ring on the pale hand is a self-created ring (by me duH), its called the ring of summoning... nothing more of that for now... and if u dint know who the pale hand belongs to, you havn't read my previous battle scene, or more specifically my rantings at the end of it...

* * *

Elite Items Include:

Ghost Glaive Elite Glaive

Matriarchal Bow Amazon class Bow

Thunder Maul Elite Great Maul

Ogre Maul Elite Maul

Sacred Amour Elite Ancient Armour

Ward Elite Gothic Shield

* * *

Carrion wind (Ring) (Delaine)  
10 Chance To Cast Level 10 Poison Nova When Struck  
8 Chance To Cast Level 13 Twister On Striking  
6-9 Life Stolen Per Hit (varies)  
+100-160 Defense Vs. Missile (varies)  
Poison Resist +55  
10 Damage Taken Goes To Mana  
Level 21 Poison Creeper (15 Charges)

Blood Ravens Charge (Matriarchal Bow) (Delaine)  
+180-230 Enhanced Damage (varies)  
200-300 Bonus To Attack Rating (varies)  
Fires Explosive Arrows Or Bolts Level 13  
Level 5 Revive (30 charges)  
+2-4 To Bow And Crossbow Skills (Amazon Only) (varies)

Call To Arms (runeword thunder maul) (Hephasto)  
+1 To All Skills  
+40 Increased Attack Speed  
+250-290 Enhanced Damage (varies)  
Adds 5-30 Fire Damage  
7 Life Stolen Per Hit  
+2-6 To Battle Command (varies)  
+1-6 To Battle Orders (varies)  
+1-4 To Battle Cry (varies)  
Prevent Monster Heal  
Replenish Life +12  
30 Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

Ice (runeword ghost glaive) (Delaine)  
100 Chance To Cast Level 40 Blizzard When You Level-up  
25 Chance To Cast Level 22 Frost Nova On Striking  
Level 18 Holy Freeze Aura When Equipped  
+20 Increased Attack Speed  
+140-210 Enhanced Damage (varies)  
Ignore Target's Defense  
+25-30 To Cold Skill Damage  
-20 To Enemy Cold Resistance  
7 Life Stolen Per Hit  
20 Deadly Strike  
3.125-309.375 Extra Gold From Monsters (Based on Character Level)

Phoenix (runeword ogre maul) (Hephasto)  
100 Chance To Cast level 40 Blaze When You Level-up  
40 Chance To Cast Level 22 Firestorm On Striking  
Level 13 Redemption Aura When Equipped  
+350-400 Enhanced Damage (varies)  
-28 To Enemy Fire Resistance  
+350-400 Defense Vs. Missile (varies)  
+50 To Life  
+5 To Maximum Lightning Resist  
+10 To Maximum Fire Resist  
+15-21 Fire Absorb (varies)

Fortitude (runeword sacred armour) (Hephasto)  
All Resistances +25-30 (varies)  
Damage Reduced By 7  
12 Damage Taken Goes To Mana  
+1 To Light Radius

Dragon (runeword ward) (Hephasto)  
20 Chance to Cast Level 18 Venom When Struck  
12 Chance To Cast Level 15 Hydra On Striking  
Level 14 Holy Fire Aura When Equipped  
+360 Defense  
+230 Defense Vs. Missile  
+3-5 To All Attributes (varies)  
+0.375-37.125 To Strength (Based on Character Level)  
Increase Maximum Mana 5  
+5 To Maximum Lightning Resist  
Damage Reduced by 7

* * *

Unique Monsters Include:

Bishibosh (Fallen Shaman) (Cold Plains) (Fire Enchant)

Rakanishu (Carver) (Stony Field) (Lightning Enchant)

Hephasto the Armourer (Unique) (The River of Flame) (Aura Enchant: Conviction)

Dac Farren (Demon Gremlin) (The Bloody Foothills) (Cold Enchant)

Colenzo the Annihilator (Warped Shaman) (Throne of Destruction) (Fire Enchant)


End file.
